Thursday, May 10, 2012

HCDCC trying to cull enemy Democrats. Democrats fighting Democrats!

Humboldt County Democrats want exclusive rights!
If you didn't read the article, Linda Atkins wrote a resolution asking for the resignation of associate members of the HCDCC who are endorsing candidates who are not Democrats? Linda, I sure could have used you in 2006! That's when all of this started and was the reason I joined.

As far as this article goes, Linda is within her rights to bring forward this resolution. And as far as Linda goes, she has been true to the party. But if she is going to call out others to the carpet for endorsing other party candidates, then she should point out the other members on the Committee, including the Chair, the Vice Chair, most all of the Executive Board and many sitting members who have done the same. Who did HCDCC members endorse in the past you might ask? Bonnie Neely when she was a conservative Republican supporting George Bush and writing glowing LTE's about Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was Governor. Green Party member Dave Merserve for Arcata City Council. Green Party member Kaitlin Sopoci Belknap for Water Board, Republican Carlos Quilez for Harbor Commissioner and DTS Clif Clendenen for 2nd District Supervisor. If I am missing any, please let me know.

Just for the record, my wife Robin did not endorse Rex. The campaign has been contacted to remove her. I was listed without confirmation, but I freely agreed after the fact. Cheryl was not a candidate when the endorsement was given. Rex has been a friend for nearly 40 years. Friendship trumps politics. Rex has done more for this community than anybody in Humboldt County. Period.

The hypocrisy is unbelievable, but Linda's actions could actually help if she adds those others to the list who have been guilty in the past and present. Call me Linda and I will supply all the names to add. First on the list should be Wes Chesbro and Mike Thompson and their endorsement of Republicans in the past running against Democrats and what about their endorsement of Clif Clendenen over a Democrat right now? Go get em all Linda!

I am a lifelong Union Working Class Moderate Democrat. Moderates are not welcomed to the HCDCC. This is a great example.

The Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee is broken. But it is not my fault. It has been for years now. I hope to help heal it this June election.

33 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I was raised a Democrat. In college, I became a Green. Then I learned about local GP shenanigans and I switched to Independent. Yeah, I shouldn't change parties over local politics, but there you have it. I didn't want to be counted among the locals. Then I hated not having a say in primary elections, so I switched back to Democrat. If Linda's resolution passes, I'll go back to being an Independent. Political parties are so messed up.

Whatever happened to working together for the betterment of all. Once elected, politicians should be working to improve life for ALL of their constituents, not just those that are members of their political party.

3:45-I really do not think Linda's resolution will pass. But she did make some points she wanted stated.

Stu-Good point. The irony of this is we all agree with the social ideals of the Democratic party, but don't agree sometimes on what is best for the community as a whole. Hence, the rift in the local Dems.

Is Brady really a Democrat? Her Future voting record on local issues will no doubt raise many red flags. Waterfront drive? She wants to develop the bay into a major chinese import/railroad port, ala the Arkley Barnam plan. And she choose the Marina Center big box mall as her primary talking point while campaigning.

Membership in the party is the only 'credential' I'd need. It's repugnant that party membership is supposed to mean discarding your brain at the door and preparing for assimilation.

I'm going through the same thing right now in my school's parent group, with some people thinking certain peoples' opinions are more valuable than others. The elected officers have forgotten they are here to serve all our interests, not merely their own.

Of course you support Linda Atkins. You are part and parcel of the Prog Gang that has ruined our local HCDCC with what amounts to be a Prog Good Ol' Boy network, a bunch of phony radical wannabes from out of town who moved here to be big frogs in our little pond. I was kicked out of HCDCC meetings by the Prog Gang in control of HCDCC back when I dared bitch how these clowns have self-selected their p.o.v. for ALL Humboldt County Dems, most of whom aren't all that crazy over Prog positions but have no voice in local Democratic Party decisions due to Prog Gang manipulation of HCDCC. Tammany Hall smells just as bad when it comes in Prog disguise, and I do mean disguise, identity theft, hiding behind anonymity seeming to be a major tool of Prog Gang politics.

I don't care whether someone is a democrat, republican, or any other party, or has no party affiliation at all. What matters is their ideas, their honesty and integrity, and their work ethic. We should always vote for who we think will be the best fit for the job, regardless of party affiliation. We need to quit fighting and work together.

Richard Marks, your answer to your own question “Who did HCDCC endorse in the past” is rife with lies and omissions. You left out many, many candidates who successfully attained both the committee endorsement and public office. But you include “Bonnie Neely when she was a conservative Republican” (a lie: individual members endorsed her outside the structure of HCDCC despite your mistaken assumption that you automatically deserved an endorsement). You also include “Green Party member Dave Merserve for Arcata City Council... Green Party member Kaitlin Sopoci Belknap for Water Board… Republican Carlos Quilez …for Harbor Commissioner and Clif Clendenen for 2nd District Supervisor” all of which are outright lies. HCDCC cannot ever endorse anyone who is not a registered Democrat, though they can of course endorse anyone they see fit – as individual citizens. The biggest lie of all? “Rex has done more for this community than anybody in Humboldt County”. If you were any kind of a team player, or any kind of Democrat who knows Bohn, you would be opening you wallet and working for Cheryl Seidner. Rex Bohn?? Gawd.

"Individual" endorsements are a matter of personal conscience and protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. HCDCC endorsements may be made by the committee for Dems they like, but that's a committee decision.

Since so many whom I do not know seem to have taken such an interest in who I do and do not support I have decided to have my say. I have not donated to the campaign for Rex Bohn nor did I give permission for my name to be used. I have already asked in the past that my name be removed immediately from the website and any mailers. I believed it had, obviously not. But, Linda Atkins, in all her glory of the hour did not even bother to call me to see why my name was listed. If she had, I would have gladly explained the situation. She and I have never spoken outside of a few moments at various public events. She doesn’t know me nor does she have any insight into understanding any of my “democratic values” even thouogh she feels bold enough to stand up and shout out that I am “not a REAL democrat” and should be outsted from the committee.Well Linda, you don’t know everything and before you go shooting off your mouth about me would you at least give me the courtesy of getting to know me. I know you have my email and my number has been in the book locally for over 30 years. I work at an elementary school and we talk to kids every day to “THINK” before you speak. The “T” stands for: Is it truthful?. What you had the balls to stand up in public and say about me is unture and I would like an apology at the next HDCC meeting.

Robin, if I am to believe your husband (I assume he's your husband) takes the matter of governing our region as seriously as the rest of us, this blog proves his waffling affiliation to say the least. "Enemy Democrats", who have been lifelong members of the party, aren't joining the Humboldt Republicans, telling the voters they are Republican while still pushing the Democratic agenda in office.

Richard should be aware of his choice of words, even, by calling respected, tenured members "enemies" when his drinking buddies are obviously conducting closed door business among eachother under the party's name.

To Anonymous 10:43am: I would perfer to adress this response to you personally but you weren't brave enough to use your own name (is that what's referred to as a blog troll??)so... Dear Mr/Ms Anonymous, did you really even read my comments? I must say your response to me was very strange to say the least. I didn't even mention richard. As hard as it my be for you to believe I am a seperate human being with my own thoughts, ideas, and opinions. I KNOW, WHAT A SHOCKER!!! As for the rest of your comments addressed to me, I won't even say how truly assinine they were, OH WAIT, I JUST DID:) And for the record: there are no "tenured" democrats on the central committee even though there are those who do act like it. Drinking buddies?? Well now.....might just have to check that out.

10:43am- I don't have any true enemies. Just people I don't always agree with but over 95% of the time I do. The HCDCC members and I on a personal level are friendly. They are vocal and hard working. oh yes, they are relavent. Drinking buddies? What? My drinking buddies hang out at Babe's pizza every Friday night. Nary a word about politics. Sports and family stuff is the main topics.

8:28pm-Robin hates my blog and doesn't normally read it. She was upset to be called out by Linda at last HCDCC meeting for endorsing Rex Bohn when she did not.

So now you do speak for Robin, Richard? Is she capable of speaking for herself about these issues? Your blog puts a light on issues people don't take lightly. One of them is defrauding the public about ones agenda. You have written your own track record, as have the HCDCC members who have been called on their obvious con.

The decisions the political parties make among themselves have real life consequences far too important to allow this kind of obvious foul play. For you to deny it when it is so obvious doesn't make you look either intelligent or honest, take your pick.

Is that how you talk to the public about important matters, Richard? Call them "weiners of the day"? I don't care one way or another about your "tags", or to get to know your wife in person. I care about the future of our resources, and that's based on the decisions made by our elected politicians in their respected parties.

That's OUR resources. You are elected by and for the people to protect the peoples' interest, not play gold stars on the internet. There is voter manipulation going on in the HCDCC (has already occured, even) and it is unacceptable. It is plain as day.

@1:06 - No, Richard is respectfull, kind, and researches issues as a District representative. When he deal with "the public" he is friendly and engaged.

Here on teh interwebz, anons and psydoanons think they should be able to impugn ones character, libel them, and engage in all kinds of behaviour they would never do, should their names be attached to such behaviour.

Thus, 1:06, you really aren't one of the "public" here in the ole blogosohere; you are nameless wiener (as am I here, though I'm not taking shots at anyone).

5:27, it is there in the public eye that the "politicians" being put on the spot for false representation have been allowed to "get away with it" because they will not address these very issues head on. The formalities of public service are to be taken seriously, these specific people are trying to get away with obvious campaign trickery. It is against any "rules" to intentionally misrepresent oneself. And to do so carrying the flagstaff of political(business) adversaries, including TRUE Democrats no less.

Do you know what is meant by "the good ol' boy network"? Do you feel you belong to it, Richard? The way it works is, you ALL belong to it because you are all disassociated from the majority of the voters and bicker amongst eachother in predictably endess circles. In this specific case, several characters in this soap opera have behaved inappropriately. It's an election year, too important to just "let it slide". If these members who are being asked to step down feel any of their constituents no longer qualify for membership, they are free to make the same proposal to the group. The implications against them are very straight forward.

Richard only wants to be part of the network. The same as Rex, Richard will never get there. They might let him in the back door (a meaningless Harbor District job) but would never allow him on the Board of Supervisors. They waited for him to be done and put Bass on instead. Now he's cuddly with Bass.

Richard: You are hanging out with the wrong people. They will never let you into the club. Not really.

6:51am-Good Sunday morning to you too! There was no "network" that got me elected. It was straight grass roots door to door. Meaningless Harbor District job? Being part of the stewardship of the Bay is a great thing to be involved with. Conservation of this Humboldt Bay harbor is a great responsibility I hold dear to my heart.

I have known Rex for 40 years and he was my boss at the Pulp Mill and was very fair and a pleasure to work with. His work ethic was amazing and the workers held him in high regard. His volunteer work is unmatched and he has touched the lives of thousands in Humboldt County.

Do I agree with all of his politics? Nope. Do I think he will be fair and open? Yes. If Cheryl gets elected I am sure she will do a fine job also.

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